US President Donald Trump has demanded that Iran pay compensation to people killed or seriously wounded in conflicts involving Tehran, saying the issue will be included in any future negotiations between the two countries. Trump's demand came after he said representatives of the Islamic Republic had sought compensation for damage caused to Iran during a five-month military conflict. Describing the Iranian request as an "interesting idea", Trump said he would make a similar demand of Tehran.
"I am likewise demanding compensation from Iran, for all of the people that they have killed and gravely wounded with their roadside bombs and many conflicts, for which they are famous," Trump said in a post.
He also referred to conflicts involving Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani and specifically called for compensation for the families of those killed aboard the USS Cole, as well as "thousands of others killed in combat".
Trump also expanded his demand to include people killed during protests in Iran over the past five decades.
"Additionally, compensation should be paid to the families of the hundreds of thousands of innocent protestors that Iran has killed over the last 50 years," he said.
Trump also claimed that 52,000 people had been killed during the past five months.
He did not provide details on how the compensation would be calculated, who would be eligible or how any payment could be enforced.
Trump said he had instructed his representatives to make compensation a formal part of any future negotiations with Tehran.
"I have instructed my representatives to put this firmly into any, and all, future negotiations," he said.
The US President said the five-month conflict began because Iran refused to abandon its pursuit of a nuclear weapon. He also questioned why compensation had not been discussed during earlier negotiations between the two sides.
"Even though it was never mentioned in any of our negotiations or meetings!" he said.
Trump's latest demand adds another contentious issue to the list of matters that could complicate any future effort by Washington and Tehran to return to negotiations.
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